This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from my application APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A HALF MIRROR OF THREE-DIMENSIONS DISPLAY DEVICE filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on May 17, 1999 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 17653/1999.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 3D image displaying apparatus, and in particular to a half mirror varying apparatus for a 3D image displaying apparatus which is capable of selectively implementing a two dimensional and three dimensional image by varying a half mirror in an up and down direction.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a 3D image displaying apparatus is an apparatus capable of displaying a three dimensional image using a visual difference between the images presented to the left and right eyes of a human. 3D image displaying apparatus are generally classified into apparatus using a glass method which uses a special glass, and apparatus using a lenticular method. Among apparatus of the glass method, there are a polarizing glass type, a liquid crystal shutter glass type, and an anaglyph type for thereby implementing a 3D image. In the above-described glass method, it is necessary to wear special glasses, which makes this method inconvenient.
In addition, among apparatus of the lenticular method, there are a direct viewing type in which a lenticular lens sheet is installed on a surface of a displaying apparatus such as a CRT, liquid display panel, etc., and a projection type in which an image is projected onto a lenticular lens sheet using a projector. In the projection-type lenticular method, a half mirror is engaged for projecting an image.
A conventional 3D image displaying apparatus includes a casing, a first image display apparatus engaged at a lower portion of the casing, a second image display apparatus engaged in a vertical direction with respect to the first image display apparatus, a half mirror installed at an angle of 45xc2x0 with respect to the first and second image display apparatuses, and a pair of support frames for supporting the half mirror.
The pair of the support frames are installed in a diagonal direction at both sides of the casing. The upper and lower ends of the same are engaged to the casing by an engaging screw. A pair of the support frames are formed in a longitudinal rectangular bar shape, and a pair of engaging protrusions are formed on an inner surface of the same in a longitudinal direction for thereby forming an engaging groove. Therefore, both ends of the half mirror are installed into the engaging grooves of the support frames, so that the half mirror is engaged to the casing.
However, in the 3D image displaying apparatus, the half mirror is fixed at a certain angle, the half mirror may be used for only the 3D image displaying apparatus. In addition, in the case that the half mirror is inclined at a certain angle due to an external force, it is difficult to adjust the installation angle of the half mirror because it is fixed, so that it is impossible to correct a certain error.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved half-mirror apparatus for three-dimensional image display.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be used as for 3D or 2D image display.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a half-mirror apparatus in which displacement of the half-mirror from the proper angle can be corrected.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a half mirror fixing apparatus which is capable of selectively using a 3D image displaying apparatus as a 2D or 3D displaying apparatus by varying a half mirror upwardly and downwardly.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided a 3D image displaying apparatus which includes a casing, a pair of plates engaged at both sides of the casing and having a guide hole having a certain curvature at upper and lower portions and a fixing bole formed near the guide hole, a pair of support frames engaged at both inner sides of the casing each having a lower portion engaged at a bottom of the casing by a hinge shaft and an engaging groove formed on an inner surface for thereby fixing a half mirror, said support frames being rotatable along the guide hole in upward and downward directions, and a handle engaged at upper portions of the support frames for fixing the support frames at a certain angle, whereby it is possible to selectively use a 2D image displaying apparatus and a 3D image displaying apparatus by moving the half mirror upward or downward.
The handle includes a rack gear formed at an upper portion of each of the support frames in a vertical direction, a pinion heat rotatably engaged on the inner surfaces of the plates and engaged with the rack gear, and a handle having one end protruded into an interior of the upper portion of the support frame, and the other end protruded to the outside through the guide bole for thereby being inserted into the fixing holes of the plates, whereby the handle is upwardly moved along the guide hole, and the other end of the handle is inserted into the fixing hole, and the pinion gear is rotated at a certain angle for thereby implementing an accurate adjustment.
The support frame includes a cubic space formed in its upper portion of the interior of the same for receiving one end of the handle therein, and a spring is engaged in the interior of the space, and one end of the spring elastically supports one end of the handle, and the other end of the spring elastically supports an inner surface of the cubic space.
The through hole is formed at a center of the pinion gear, and a hole is formed at a certain portion of each of a pair of the plates corresponding to the through hole, so that the handle is integrally engaged with the through hole through the hole, and the pinion gear is rotatable by an adjusting knob.
Additional advantages, objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the description which follows.